Online Courses

Online classes give you the flexibility to learn off-campus, often at times most convenient for your schedule. Identify 10 degrees you can earn online, weigh the pros and cons of online education and find out how you can take online classes for free.

View the most popular articles in Online Courses:

How to Learn Online Successfully

Updated
|
How to Learn Online Successfully
In this article, we discuss the unique challenges and opportunities that adult learners face while learning online. We offer you practical tips on creating a productive learning environment, managing your time effectively, and making the most of your course's resources.

I've always enjoyed learning online because I like setting my schedule. Setting your schedule will be an attractive part of online learning if you work full-time and have family and other after-work responsibilities. Now, I was learning online back in the 2000s. Online learning was available for the specific certifications I wanted to earn, but the difference between then and now is like night and day. Online learning today has many more features than it did back then. However, what made online learning attractive to me remains the same: I could fit it into my schedule. And that was important to me as a husband, father, and full-time employee of a Fortune 1000 corporation. Online learning allowed me to study for the Microsoft certifications I wanted to earn.

Who supervises you while you learn online?

Online learning relies heavily on your discipline and motivation. Most online learning systems will send reminders and offer help when they sense you need a little nudging. However, working through each chapter or module is something you have to schedule and manage yourself.

What teaching method does online learning use?

You will encounter two approaches to online learning: synchronous and asynchronous courses. In synchronous courses, you’ll log in at specific times for live lectures and discussions, while asynchronous courses let you access materials and complete assignments on your own schedule.

Learning online is like having the best teacher you have ever had. You know the one I'm talking about. She was so enthusiastic

. . .read more

Are Online Courses Better Than Traditional Classroom Courses?

Updated
|
Are Online Courses Better Than Traditional Classroom Courses?
In today's age of modern technology, a large portion of education occurs online. But are online courses better than classroom courses? What are the differences?

Community colleges offer a wide array of benefits over traditional colleges and universities. Not only do community colleges appeal to a large variety of students, but they cater to different learning styles as well with the availability of online courses as well as traditional classroom courses. But how do online courses really compare?

How Prevalent is Online Learning?

According to a 2014 survey, approximately 46% of college students are taking at least one online course and it is estimated that at least half of all college classes will be offered online by 2019. Not only is online learning a benefit for community college students, but large corporations are also starting to use e-learning as a training method. Even graduate students are taking advantage of online options to pursue their degrees. According to an article published by U.S. News, of an estimated 2.9 million graduate students in the United States, more than 20% of them study exclusively online – that number of closer to 11% for undergraduates. Online learning is increasing in popularity each year and the disparity in quality between the two options grows ever smaller. In fact, many students have admitted that they do not see a significant difference in the quality or depth of education they received through online courses and that they received from traditional classroom courses.

What Benefits do Online Courses Offer Students?

Some students simply learn better when they have time to peruse the material themselves outside of a classroom environment. This

. . .read more

California Virtual Community College System Increases Choices, Transfers

Updated
|
California Virtual Community College System Increases Choices, Transfers
The Online Education Initiative will greatly expand course offerings for community college students, while making the transfer process between institutions much more smooth. The Initiative has its critics, however, who decry the loss of local control over education.

In an effort to boost graduation rates among community college students in their state, the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, with funding from the state legislature, will implement the Online Education Initiative (OEI) this fall. The central tenet of the OEI is to expand course offerings and related online services to help students obtain a degree or facilitate transfer to another California institution for matriculation. For years, budget cuts have greatly impacted the course offerings of the state’s community college system, leaving hundreds of thousands of potential students shut out of the system. State education officials hope that this new online portal will open the doors to those students. It is also hoped that expanded access to courses will improve student retention and thus lead to more degrees and certificates being conferred, particularly among underserved and underrepresented populations in the state.

Particulars of the Californhttps://cvc.edu/about-the-exchange/ia Community College Online Education Initiative

The OEI will operate under a single delivery modality called the Online Education Ecosystem. This centralized online portal would essentially leverage the power of all member institutions to deliver a highly robust online learning experience that would be difficult for individual institutions to develop and deploy on their own. The system will be built on the existing foundation of the California Virtual Campus, which provides information about online courses offered throughout the state. At present, the system includes 24 of California’s 112 community colleges. Each of the 24 institutions is currently engaged

. . .read more

Community Colleges Taking a Serious Look at MOOCs

Updated
|
Community Colleges Taking a Serious Look at MOOCs
We’ll report on the latest craze in higher education – the MOOC – and why community colleges are considering the addition of these online classes to their course lists.

Massive Open Online Courses, dubbed MOOCs by most educators, have become the buzzword for higher education. Providing free, online education on a global, rather than a campus, level has serious implications for the world of higher education overall. Despite the obvious benefits of MOOCs (free, readily available, etc.), many educators are skeptical of their actual value in the real college experience. How exactly did MOOCs make it on the scene and what does their future hold? The answers may depend on who you ask.

Anatomy of a MOOC

According to the Washington Post, a Massive Open Online Course is a college-level class offered for free online. The courses are available to anyone with an Internet connection, whether or not they are currently enrolled in a college or university. The classes allow students to study and learn on their own time, and at any location, unlike traditional courses that follow a set schedule in a classroom.

MOOCs have garnered interest from a number of institutions of higher education, particularly for-profit schools and newer startups in online education. Coursera, one of the best-known companies offering MOOCs at this time, has partnered with institutions like Harvard and Stanford to bring the MOOC model to those prestigious college campuses. Other MOOC companies, including Udacity and edX, are also busy signing up college partners for their online courses.

This video explains MOOC.

. . .read more

A Degree Program sans Textbooks? One Community College Says Yes

Updated
|
A Degree Program sans Textbooks? One Community College Says Yes
We report on a first-of-its-kind degree program introduced by Tidewater Community College that is 100 percent textbook-free. We also explore ways to save on textbook costs – for students that don’t live near the Tidewater campus.

College is expensive, but at least one community college is looking for a way to help students cut the cost of a college education. Tidewater Community College in Virginia has announced plans to debut a textbook-free degree program next year. College officials estimate the pilot program could cut the cost of the degree by as much as a third by the time graduation rolls around.

Learning Business without Textbooks

The Richmond-Times Dispatch reports that Tidewater Community College will be offering an associate of science degree in business administration this fall that will require no textbook purchases throughout the program. Instead, students will use open-source educational materials, known as OER, which they will be able to access through the school’s learning management system on smartphones or tablets. The college will be the first to offer a complete degree program without any textbooks required.

The program was developed as a partnership between Tidewater Community College and Lumen Learning; an Oregon-based company that helps schools across the country incorporate OERs into their learning plans. The founder of Lumen, David Wiley, has advocated for open education for the past 15 years, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. However, no school has been open to the concept of a completely textbook-free degree program until now.

“It’s frustrating to watch these resources keep getting created, and then watch nobody use them and the students get no benefit,” Wiley stated at The Chronicle of Higher Education.

This video

. . .read more

Recent Articles

What are Community Colleges Doing with Labor Department Grants?
What are Community Colleges Doing with Labor Department Grants?
The article explores how community colleges are utilizing Labor Department grants, particularly the TAACCCT program, to develop workforce training programs. It highlights various initiatives across different states, focusing on industry-specific training and skill development in emerging sectors.
For-Profit Universities Looking to Partner with Community Colleges
For-Profit Universities Looking to Partner with Community Colleges
This article examines the trend of for-profit universities, particularly the University of Phoenix, seeking partnerships with community colleges. It discusses the potential benefits and controversies surrounding these collaborations, focusing on transfer agreements and workforce training programs.
New Analysis Shows How California Community Colleges Could Cut Millions in Spending
New Analysis Shows How California Community Colleges Could Cut Millions in Spending
The article discusses a California Watch analysis revealing potential savings in California's community college system through administrative consolidation. It explores the implications of such cost-cutting measures and the challenges in implementing them within the state's education system.